Danilo Santos don make history as one of the standout names for Brazil 26-man World Cup squad. The 25-year-old Botafogo midfielder get only four senior caps for Seleção, but now e dey set to shine for the tournament of im life.
At 15, Danilo mind dey race all over. Disappointment, anger, sadness. Uncertainty and guilt too. Danilo just dey released by Bahia youth set-up, the club wey e join when e get seven years. Im family dey struggle financially—im papa even take loan to cover im training fees—so im sense of failure dey overwhelming and understandable. Disheartened, e quit the sport wey e love. Maybe e no cut out for this, perhaps e simply no good enough.
Dego Freitas, a coach linked to Os Deguinhos da Bol, a project wey use football support disadvantaged youth, step in and stubbornly convince the youngster to keep playing football. “I tell am say na im family dream, my dream, say e fit help im family with football,” Freitas recall for interview with The Athletic. Freitas arrange a trial for Cajazeiras, a second-tier club, where Palmeiras scouts take interest and pick Danilo. “No one for Bahia know how to recognise im talent,” Freitas tok, “but thank God Palmeiras, 1,000 miles to the south, see the boy potential. E get to leave the state to achieve im dream.”
That dream don become reality. When Carlo Ancelotti announce Brazil 26-man World Cup squad—with Neymar inclusion naturally grabbing headlines—Danilo selection still raise some eyebrows. Very Ancelotti-esque. But, understandably, many wonder: the 25-year-old Danilo from Botafogo, wey only don get called up once four years earlier: who be am? A modern midfielder wey fit play as number 6, 8 or 10, Danilo dey as tireless as im idol, N’Golo Kanté.
“I remember a game when Danilo get 13,” Freitas recall. “The game go to extra time, and Danilo deliver two more assists. Im papa beg me to replace am, but the boy refuse to come off. For the end, im papa get to carry am off the pitch because e too tired.”
Compared with the teen sensations Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Endrick, Danilo be late bloomer by Brazilian standards. As a teenager, e simply need a coach wey see the talent Bahia don overlook. That mentor arrive for Vanderlei Luxemburgo. Luxemburgo, wey once serve as head coach of Real Madrid, dey for charge of Palmeiras for 2020. “You know how I discover Danilo?” e ask. “During a training match between the Under-20s and the reserves, e immediately catch my eye: a left-footed boy wey dey win the ball all over the pitch.”
“One detail stand out: e never play the ball sideways or backwards, only forwards. E control am and accelerate the play. I think, ‘Who be this player?’ So I inquire. Dem tell me say e feature occasionally but sit behind Patrick de Paula for pecking order.” I reply, “Behind Patrick? E better.” People think I dey mad because Patrick be the team star player, but I dey convinced.
Luxemburgo promote the midfielder to the first team almost immediately, then gradually integrate am into first team football. “I realise the enormous potential wey e get. I tok at the time say Brazil produce very few midfielders with the qualities wey need to make am to a World Cup. But Danilo get strength, personality and football intelligence. E already dey show back then say e fit go very far.”
Danilo real breakthrough come under the next coach, Abel Ferreira, wey entrust am with a key role for the midfield. Anchored by Danilo, Ferreira Palmeiras evolve into one of Brazilian football most dominant sides for recent history, a real footballing dynasty. With two Copa Libertadores titles, a domestic league crown, a Copa do Brasil, a Recopa Sudamericana and a Campeonato Paulista, Palmeiras trophy cabinet grow ever more impressive.
Danilo also earn im first call-up to the Brazilian national team, though e prove to be a trial camp and e no get to play. Im performances eventually attract European suitors, and Nottingham Forest manage to secure im signature, paying €20 million and making am Palmeiras seventh-highest record sale.
During im time for Nottingham Danilo quickly become a favourite among coaches, teammates and supporters. A fan chant of Spandau Ballet ‘Gold’ only be matter of time. Danilo-o embrace the anthem wholeheartedly. “When the fans first sing am, I no know the song,” e tok. “Now I play am constantly for my car. E great, and e make me feel at home here.”
All the more painful e be, that for the seventh minute of the 2024 Premier League opener, Danilo break im ankle. The scene dey disturbing: sheets dey carried onto the pitch to mask the injury severity. E lose im place for Forest and struggle to win am back.
So Danilo make a decision. E return to im homeland, joining Botafogo for a move wey quite controversial due to the dubious relationship between club owners John Textor and Evangelos Marinakis. The pair control four clubs—Botafogo, Lyon, Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos—wey don complete nine transfers among dem over three years.
For Danilo, the decision to return to Brazil actually straightforward. “E very difficult, because I no want to leave Forest at all,” e tell GE. “I dey at an age where I want to play for Europe, but a serious injury mean I lose my place.” “I want to turn things around for Forest as well, but there be aspects of football wey you simply no fit control. I also dey determined to reach the World Cup, and to stay for contention I need to play.”
At Botafogo, Davide Ancelotti dey in charge. “E call me to join Botafogo and tok say we go write history together,” Danilo tok for interview with UOL. Dem time together last only one season, during which the midfielder dey hampered by a hamstring injury.
This season, under a new coach, Danilo finally dey for top form. E never get quite such a productive years: nine goals and two assists for just twelve matches. That form deservedly earn am a call-up for Brazil for March, almost exactly four years after im last appearance for Seleção. This time e be Carlo Ancelotti, the papa of im former Botafogo boss, wey pick Danilo. “First e be the son, now e be the papa; we don come full circle,” e laugh.
Under Ancelotti, e finally get to make im Brazil debut. After impressing as a substitute against France, e start against Croatia. Just before half-time, the moment Danilo don dey dream of be reality. Following a brilliant move by Vinícius Júnior, e fire the ball into the top corner.
Just two months later, for the presence of im family, e wait anxiously: Ancelotti go take am to the World Cup, after just 95 minutes of football with Brazil? The coach do, and Danilo burst into tears. “At the 2010 World Cup, I paint the streets and hang up flags,” Danilo tok. Now e dey go to the World Cup imself.
